Controlling device



Nov. 6, 1928. 1,690,339

F. D. HARDESTY CONTROLLING DEVICE Filed. Mar h 19, 1924 2 Sheets-Shet. 1

J21 U Biz 2 0f fiaqlvc/s D HflRDESTV Nov. e, 1928. 1,690,339

F. n. HARDESTY CONTROLLING DEVICE Filed March 19, 4 -2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BQT HzsflZZarzz E275 Patented Nov; 6, 1928. V

UNITED STATES 1,690,339 PATENT 'OFFICE.

rnAncis n. manners, or DAYTON, 01110, ssrenon TO GENER L Morons CORPORA- 'mon, or nnraornurcmemv, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

- conrnonnme nnvrcn Application as much 19, i924. Serial No. 700,303.

This invention relates to controlling devices, and. is illustrated in the drawings as embodied in 'an' automobile havingroad wheel brakes applied manually and returned to idle position when the brake pedal is released by power derived from the engine.

An object of the invention is to provide a light pressure for applying the brakes, or operating some equivalent device, by substituting for the usual heavy return springs a returning or counter-balancing device shown as a power cylinder and piston, which is arranged to be rendered ineffective when the brakes are applied, and which therefore does not detract from the power applied to the brakes asdo the heavy return springs. Preferably this returning device is operated by the power of the engine, itbeing in one desirable constructionoperated by suction from the intake manifold. Alight return spring may also be used, to hold the parts in idle position whenthe engine is not running.

The above and other objects and features of the invention, including various novel combinations of parts and desirable particular constructions, will be apparent from the following description of one illustrative'embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of an automobile chassis having manuallyapplied and power-released four wheel brakes; I I V Figure 2 is a view of some of the parts shown in Figure 1, partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, and on a larger scale and Figure 3 is a sectional view of the valve shown in Figure 2., in the position it 00011- pies whenthe'brakes are applied. I

In these figures, the invention is shown embodied in an automobile chassis comprising a frame 10, an engine 12 having an mtake "manifold 14, front wheels 16 having brakes 18, and rear wheels 20 havin brakes 22, all of the brakes being arrange for 01perationnby depression of a, pedal 24. T e pedal is shown mounted as usual beside a transmission 26, and extending up through a floor board 28,1'ust below the dash 30. The abov'e-describedparts may be of any desired construction, present invention having to doiwithfthei're ease of the brakes after "they have been applied. In the usual ar-- rangement, return springs are used for this purpose, which springs must be overcome in applying the brakes, this spring resistance frequently being greater in amount than the pressure on the brakes themselves. According to my invention, however, the brakes are returned by means which is ineffective when the brakes are being applied, thus substantially cutting in two the required pedal pressure.

In the particular embodiment illustrated, the brake-releasingmea'ns comprises a power cylinder 32 mounted on the front of dash 30, in which is a piston 34 connected to the lower end of pedal 24 by a cable 36 passing over pulleys 38 and 40. The piston is sucked upwardly to pull on the cable in releasing the brakes by suction from the intake man ifold 14, which is connected to the power cylinder by a-conduit- 42 controlled by a valve shown in its normal or open position in Figure 2, with the suction ,applie to the piston, and shown in Figure 3 in the position it occupies when the brakes are being applied, with the conduit 42 shut off and cylinder 32 in communication with the outside atmosphere.

The valve includes a central plunger having a head which closes a passage through a sleeve or piston member 46, and

which normally forces member 46 to the left in Figure 3 against the resistance of a spring 48. In this position a passage 50 to conduit 42 is open, and cylinder 32 is in com munication with the intake manifold, while a passage 52 to the outside atmosphere is,

shut off by the seating of the head of plunger 44 against the inner end of the bore through the sleeve member 46. Plunger 44 is held in this position against the resistance of spring 48 by a bellcrank lever 54 ,oper ated by a Bowden wire 56 clamped at 5 8 to a sleeve portion of foot-piece 60 of pedal 24, the foot-piece being held spaced from the end of thepedal proper by a spring 62'.

spring 48, holding the valve open so that the intake suction urges the brakes and their operating connections into idle posit1on..

When the pedal is depressed, before the pedal proper begins to move spring 62 is compressed, and the Bowden wire 56 rocks bellcrank lever 54 to cause the parts to take the positions shown in Figure 3. Passage 50 is now shut off by the piston valve member while plunger 44 has been moved still further to the right, establishing'communication between the cylinder SQ- and the out side atmosphere through passa e52 and the bore of member 46. This equa izes the pres sure on opposite sides of the piston 34, so that it offers no resistance to the a plication of the brakes 'as the edal is urther depressed. When the pe al is released,

spring 62 promptly returns the valve parts to the positions shown in Figure 2, so that piston 34 takes hold again and. pulls the rakes to their idle position. I prefer to provide also a light return spring 70 to hold the brakes and their operating connections in idle osition when the en due is not running. gpring 70 need only )8 under a tension which is a small fraction of the tension on the usual return springs, for example ten pounds instead of forty-five or fifty I pounds.

brakes,

While one illustrative embodiment of the invention has been described'in detail, it is not my intention to limit its scope to that particular embodiment or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Retarding means comprising, in combination, a brake, a brake-applying member,'

a counter-balance device urging the brake and said member toward idle position, and connections from said member for first rendering the 'couuter balance device ineffective and then applying the brake.

2. Retardingfmeans comprising; in combination, a brake, connections for applying the brake, a source of power, a device operated by power from said source and urging the brake and connections toward idle posi tion, and a manuall -operated member connected and arrange first to disconnect said devicefrom the source of power and then to cause the connections to apply the brake.

3. Retarding means comprising, in combination, a brake, connections for applying the brake, a source of ower, a; counter-balance device operated y power from said source and urging the brake and connections toward idle position, and a manually-operated member connected-to the counterbalance device and arranged when operated to disconnect said device from the source of power'and also arranged to operate said connections to apply the brake manually.

4. A vehicle comprising, in combination, a manually-operated controlling member, 'brakeapplying connections controlled by said member, a counter-balance device urging the brakes toward idle position, and an auxiliary connection from the -.controlling member arran ed to render the counter-balance device inc ective. 46, moved to the right by its spring 48,

"fii'A vehicle comprising, in combination. brakes, anengine, a device operated by power from" the engine for returning the rakes to idle position, connections for applying the brakes, and manually operable means folinterrupting the action of the brake returning device aforesaid, to thereby permit the brakes to be applied manually, and unrestrained by said returnin device. 6. A vehicle comprising, in com ination, brakes, an engine, and manually operable means for applying the brakes and for bringing about their return to idle position by en ine suction.

7. vehicle corn rising, in combination, brakes, an engine aving an intake manifold, a cylinder and piston operated by suction from the manifold to return the brakes to idle position, and manually operable means for interrupting the action of said cylinder and piston and for applying the brakes.

8 A vehicle comprising, in combination. an engine, brakes, a pedal, means operated by depression of the pedal to apply the brakes, and engine-o erated means rendered effective by release 0 the pedal to return the brakes to idle position.

9. A- vehicle comprising, in combination, brakes, a pedal, means operated by depression of the pedal to apply the brakes, and a power cylinder and piston rendered effective by release of the pedal to return the brakes to idleposition.

10. A vehicle comprising, in combination, brakes, a brake-controlling pedal, a power cylinder and piston for returning the brakes after application, a valve for the cylinder, and a connection from the edal for opening the valve when the pedal is released.

11. A vehicle comprising, in combination, a source of fluid power, a power cylinder and piston, a pedal, and a valve arrange to be operated by the pedal to connect the cylinder to said source when the pedal is released and to connect the cylinder to the out side. atmos here when the pedal is de sed.

12. A ve icle comprising, in combination, an engine having an intake manifold, a power cylinder and piston, a. (pedal, and a valve operated by the pedal an arranged to connect the cylinder to the intake manifold when the pedal is released and'to connect the cylinder to the outside atmosphere when the pedal is depressed.

'Intestimon whereofI aflixm si ature.

F ANCISD. HAB E S TY. 

